ideological colonialism

We don’t know how to mind our own business ‘Cause the whole world’s got to be just like us

Lyrics from the song, Monster – by the rock band, Steppenwolf (1969)

Liberal elites in wealthy Western nations (US, the EU, and at the UN) demand conformity, uniformity throughout the world (in all nations) on some hot button issues. So much for real diversity, national sovereignty and self-determination.

In September, 2015, while addressing the United Nations, Pope Francis noted the risk of “ideological colonization”.

Ideological colonialism, cultural imperialism, or social engineering – call it what you will – is happening today. Poorer, less developed nations can often be bullied or bribed into acquiescing to the demands from the UN, the EU or the US. Foreign aid and developmental assistance can be tied to the receiving nation’s “progress” in various “rights” areas. Euphemistic language aside, many less developed nations are being pressured subtly and not so subtly to change their laws on abortion and marriage.

Some of the UN’s various agencies and departments, often chaired by activists of a liberal mindset, are constantly trying to get language approved in various documents that will make things such as abortion and same sex marriage into universal human rights.

Many less developed nations around the world do not want the moral relativism and the social engineering that is being pushed upon them by Western progressive elites. The people in these nations value the traditional family and children.

What they would really like is developmental assistance free of the demands to change their societies’ laws and norms. Many doctors in sub-Saharan Africa lament the lack of vaccines and antibiotics that could help to greatly reduce childhood mortality rates in their countries. They receive plenty of shipments of contraceptives from Western nations, but are woefully short of critical medicines. The Western elites are in effect saying to these peoples: “We do not want to help very much to save your present children, but we are very concerned that you limit the numbers of future children you have.”

Yes, there are those radical feminists who desire there be an abortion mill in every city and town of the world. There are those LGBTQ activists who demand that all nation states legalize and legitimize same sex marriages.

Why should we in the West try to force abortion and acceptance (even promotion) of homosexuality on to other nations?

The answer is that the liberal elites in the West are driven by their liberal, “progressive” ideology (which is not very tolerant of opposing viewpoints).

Let other peoples, in their societies, decide for themselves if they want these. Respecting other peoples’ rights to self-determination (self governance) and to be free of external coercion could be considered a social justice issue.

other related thoughts

The UN is a big part of the problem. It has an abysmal record on keeping the peace (allegedly its purpose). The UN is too pre-occupied with its ongoing social engineering. Member nation states are going to have to resist diktats from the various UN agencies.

These so-called progressives really ought to change the name of their agenda or movement. It does not mean progress. (And, I would caution them that personal licentiousness is not true freedom.)